Residents of Laudium and Erasmia are fed up with the continuous disruption of services in the area, by the local council, from sporadic water and electricity cuts, to non-collection of bins on the due date.
To add to their woes, residents have to also face the ongoing crime in the area which, at many times, has also caused disruption to services, especially power cuts, due to cable theft.
This follows yet another incident of cable theft early this week, causing a large area in Erasmia and a small area in Laudium to be without electricity. Monday, February 14, was indeed a bad start to what was meant to be a romantic day, when some residents planning to prepare special Valentine’s Day breakfasts for their dear ones, were faced with a power outage from the very early morning, at around 1:30. A while after the power failure, it was then discovered that thieves had dug a trench and cut an electric cable, just behind the Tshwane Muslim School. A number of frustrated residents from Erasmia and Laudium complained to the Laudium Sun about the power cut.
Fawzia Hoosen of Corundum Street, one of the few whose home was affected by the cable theft, said “It was only when we got up early Monday morning that we realized we had no lights. At first we thought it was load shedding but then our neighbor told us that load shedding had been suspended. Then, later, we read on our community chat groups that the cause of the electricity cut was due to cable theft. We heard that the thieves dug deep into the ground to get to the electric cable. They are so daring and are not even afraid of being electrocuted. Crime in Laudium is totally out of hand and one of the reasons is because we allow just anyone to beg on the streets and as a community we feel them sorry. We have had numerous break-ins and robberies and now even cable theft around our area, because there’s a bunch of people sitting on the corner of 19th Ave and Cuprene Str, right next the Mosque, some of them pretending that they are looking for jobs or begging, but are actually watching for opportunities to steal from us. Every time I pass them, I am terrified, as I am not sure what evil thoughts some of them have. We need the community to stand united in sorting out this crime problem. We have so many organisations in Laudium. Why can’t they be united and take a stand to fight crime? Today I plead with Councillor Naeem Patel, to take the lead and do something about this growing crime in our area, or else we will soon reach a point of serious harm to the community of Laudium and Erasmia.”
Another resident, Tasmia Patel of Cinnamon Str, told the Laudium Sun,” These young boys sitting on the corner come door to door asking for food and out of the goodness of our hearts we give them. But not long thereafter, we hear of a robbery or break- in and now cable theft, believed to be by some of the very same people we help. It’s like we cannot trust anyone walking the streets these days.”
Councillor Naeem Patel confirmed to the Laudium Sun that council technicians had to replace approximately 16 meters of electric cable. Naeem added that the delay in replacing the cable after two days was due to the technicians waiting for the cables ordered.
